New Pool and BBB Question

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I need some reassurance please :(

I have used 9 gallons of bleach in this pool this weekend, is this a typical amount when shocking?

My last test result is

FC-8
CC-0.5

I just added more bleach, and since I'm almost out of the one testing solution, I am not going to test again tonight. I need to order more of the solution, but it's going to take a few days to get here. What happens if I run out?

We had a heavy storm last night and I got discouraged this am when my FC was only 4, but today my numbers have been been in the 7-8 range.

I'm just kind of bummed, we can't swim, the water isn't pretty, and I'm beginning to wonder if it will ever get better. It does look better than two days ago, and now I've got more leaves to get out of the bottom, thanks to the storm last night. I got most with leaf net, but I need to get in the pool and dive for them...

I cannot mess with pool much tomorrow as I have obligations that will keep me away from home all day. I can do some in the morning, and then more at night and all day Wednesday. I plan on grabbing 10 more gallons of bleach too...

ETA- I found the r-0871 (which I am almost out of) on Amazon. A 2oz bottle is $10 or a 16oz is $22. Obviously it is more economical to buy the 16oz bottle. How fast does this stuff go bad? I like using this test because I can see the pink much easier than the yellow. So that means I will use more of it than normal? However, even if it is more economical, I don't want to buy a big bottle just for it to go to waste...I am keeping the stuff inside my home in a spare kitchen cabinet if that makes a difference? I imagine we only have approx 1.5 months, maybe 2, left of swimming...
 
Be reassured.

9 gallons isn't very much compared to what some folks here have gone through. I wish I'd bookmarked a thread earlier this year where someone lined up all the empties...it was well over 100 gallons. If you're seeing improvement already, you're doing great!
 
Thanks Richard.

I guess just frustration seeping out. I'm an instant gratification person, and this is hard for me. I definitely do not have POP! I need some though! I hope that after purchasing my next 10 gallons that we will be good to go!

Can you read my ETA and answer if you know the answer? I appreciate it!
 
want2swim said:
Thanks Richard.

I guess just frustration seeping out. I'm an instant gratification person, and this is hard for me. I definitely do not have POP! I need some though! I hope that after purchasing my next 10 gallons that we will be good to go!

Can you read my ETA and answer if you know the answer? I appreciate it!
Click to expand...
It'll still be good next year.

http://tftestkits.net also sells the refills. Superfast shipping, too
 
If I was in your shoes, as impatient as you are trying to be, :roll: I would add 3ppm to your shock value of 12. (using CYA of 30)
Get it up to 15ppm and never let it fall below 12ppm FC, Every time I see you post test results, your FC are always below 12, :grrrr: this is where your losing rounds in this fight with the pool, keep the FC shock over 12 all the time! Most of your test results that you have posted are way too low... your not keeping up! (staying above 12 ppm FC)
This way (keeping above 12 all the time/never below until you pass OCLT) you win more rounds and then the fight is no contest, you WIN! :whoot:

Chuck
 
I was ordering from Amazon as I got a giftcard for Christmas and we don't really need anything from there. I'll order a 2oz bottle and then I'll order all testing stuff from tft next year :)

I'm not trying to be impatient, it's my natural personality! Believe me, I am trying to have patience, but when you don't know what you are doing, you have to wonder if you are screwing up. Yes, my test results are always below 12,, then I add enough bleach (according to the pool calc) to get it back up to 12, but the next test it's below 12 again. How do I even know it's getting to 12 in the first place? I'm not testing right after I add bleach as that wouldn't be accurate, the bleach wouldn't be diffused through the pool water. I'm using a measuring cup to measure my bleach, so I know exactly how much I'm putting in. I putting the bleach in near the return so it gets distributed quite well. I'm taking water sample each time from the same exact place, creating a vacuum until I get as far down as I can reach and then filling up cup.
 
Chuck is right. If you seem to be going below 12 quickly, aim higher. 15 is a good goal IMO.

Be glad you only have to use a measuring cup. When I shocked my pool I counted bottles going in, not cups. :) I think the trash people around here think I am running a laundry out back.
 
Well I added what the pool calc said to get to 15 (7.25 cups)

Just checked water and I'm at fc 13.5 CC 0.5

I'm going to go add the reqd amount of bleach and check it again later today.

My issue is, I'm not going to make it with the r0871 drops. I'm really low right now and its going to take at least a few days for anything to get here (amazon said earliest is the 25th.

What do I do? I'm going to see if TFT offers a next day or similiar shipping option right now.
 
I'm sure he will do his best to get you taken care of.

Are you doing your calculations off 6,000 gallons?

Also, what brand bleach are you using? I bought a bunch once, my numbers weren't coming up like I expected, and when I read the bottle I discovered the concentration was less than 3%. No wonder my calculations didn't work!
 
I'm using Fred's brand bleach, but today I bought Clorox brand. I did check and it's 6% (for both of them).

I'm pretty sure the calculations are off of 6000, at the bottom where I entered the pool width and depth it has 6000 gallons.

I just checked my water after being gone all day, it went from 13.5 to 8. I'm going to go dump bleach and mow the yard. I'll try to get a good picture of the water, but it's not in the sun anymore and it's hard to get a good shot of it.
 

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I think it's just called Fred's. It's like a dollar general type store? I live in the south and I know practically every town has one.

A 96oz bottle is 1.49 for their brand. I could do better, but it's an hour to walmart, and with gas prices (plus whatever junk i would buy at walmart besides bleach!) it's pretty cost efficient for me to buy locally (if you call 20 miles local hah!)

Checked the pool just a bit ago. I'm at FC-13 and CC-0.5. I'll happily test tomorrow, however I'm almost out of the r-0871 and I cannot buy anything else right now. Mine from amazon is slated to be here on the 25th. I don't know what I'm going to do. I think I have approx 1/4 bottle left, so my options are:

1)test twice per day, run out quicker, but hope to get the pool done w/shocking
2) test once per day and add bleach blindly
3) use the cheap yellow test kit but it doesn't go to 15??
4) option I don't know about, but someone with more experience does

I know, I'm trying not to worry, I'm really trying hard, but I don't want to get to a point where any work I've done to this point will be a complete waste! It's not feasible for me to run a water sample to town, as that's an hour drive...
 
OK, not Freddy's then. Definitely not the south here. I have been to Memphis though... Beautiful homes, nothing quite that old and majestic around here.

I do not consider 20 miles to be local at all. 20 miles for bleach... would cost me quite a bit at <10gpm in my suburban. I'm a city girl, and we do not usually have to travel more than 20 blocks to locate a store.

I can vouch for the swift shipping from TFTestkits. All the way across the country, and you are even closer. Can you cancel the amazon order and get a new bottle the fast cheap way? In all honesty, I can get everything I need locally. About 5 miles away. I tried that, paid a lot more and ended up ordering from TFTestkits (ok, I spilled my $15 dpd powder) for less than I paid for one 10ml container of DPD powder just down the road. Plus it was here in like 3 days. Can't beat that.

edit: oh wait, I mean I got TWO 10ml containers for less than I paid for one down the road.
 
It's beautiful, but the drive to get a town with a walmart, drug store, etc kills me some days. I love it here though and I make a few sacrifices to enjoy what we have available to us here :)

I didn't pay anything for the amazon order, it was paid using a giftcard I got for christmas. If I could buy it, I would order from TFT and I do plan on ordering everything else from them in the future. Just after yesterday, I can't buy anything until Monday.
 
Okay, I wanted to post a follow up...

I finally passed the oclt test and have maintained around 7 fc for the past few days. However, I am not reading CYA.

Today's results:

FC 7
CC-0
PH 7.2
CYA-can still see black dot after tube is full.

I did add the required amount over 2 weeks ago, in a sock tied to my ladder, and it's been completely dissolved now. We've had a lot of flooding style rains (IE we got almost 2in in an hour yesterday!) and I've had to keep a pretty close eye and draining the pool almost daily. Is this going to mess up the CYA? Can anyone offer suggestions on how to fix it?

TIA!
 
want2swim said:
Okay, I wanted to post a follow up...

I finally passed the oclt test and have maintained around 7 fc for the past few days. However, I am not reading CYA.

Today's results:

FC 7
CC-0
PH 7.2
CYA-can still see black dot after tube is full.

I did add the required amount over 2 weeks ago, in a sock tied to my ladder, and it's been completely dissolved now. We've had a lot of flooding style rains (IE we got almost 2in in an hour yesterday!) and I've had to keep a pretty close eye and draining the pool almost daily. Is this going to mess up the CYA? Can anyone offer suggestions on how to fix it?

TIA!
Click to expand...
Yes, draining will make you lose CYA. And anything below 20 or 30 won't read, period. I imagine that now that you're clear, you'll be wanting CYA about 40. Put in 20 now and 40 goal, and add what it needs. Check again in a week, and see if you need more. We always say, it's easy to add more CYA later, hard to get rid of it.
 
Totally hypothetical idea here...

But in situations like this, when draining and rain are an issue... Might one stick a trichlor tablet in a floater and see if it will balance CYA out?

Take floater out when it dries up of course.
 

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